UJehova Kufanele Abe Yithemba Lethu
“UJehova uyakuba-yithemba lakho.”—IZAGA 3:26.
1. Nakuba abaningi bethi bathembele kuNkulunkulu, yini esikisela ukuthi abathembeli kuye njalo?
EMALINI yase-United States of America kunesiqubulo esithi “In God We Trust [Sithembele KuNkulunkulu].” Kodwa ingabe bonke abasebenzisa le mali, kulelo lizwe noma kunoma iyiphi enye indawo, bathembele ngempela kuNkulunkulu? Noma ingabe bathembele kakhulu kuleyo mali ngokwayo? Ukwethembela okunjalo emalini yakulelo lizwe noma yakunoma iliphi elinye izwe akunakuvumelana nokwethembela kuNkulunkulu wothando ongumninimandla onke, ongalokothi awasebenzise kabi amandla akhe futhi ongenabo nakancane ubugovu. Eqinisweni, ubugovu ubulahla ngokucacile.—Efesu 5:5.
2. Yisiphi isimo sengqondo amaKristu eqiniso anaso ngamandla engcebo?
2 AmaKristu eqiniso athembela kuNkulunkulu, hhayi engcebweni, ‘namandla ayo okukhohlisa.’ (Mathewu 13:22) Ayaqaphela ukuthi amandla emali okuthuthukisa injabulo nokulondoloza ukuphila alinganiselwe kakhulu. Akunjalo ngamandla kaNkulunkulu onguMninimandla onke. (Zefaniya 1:18) Ngakho-ke, yeka indlela esinokuhlakanipha ngayo isiyalo esithi: “Indlela yenu yokuphila mayingabi nalo uthando lwemali, kuyilapho naneliswa izinto ezikhona. Ngoba uthe: ‘Angisoze ngakushiya noma ngakulahla nganoma iyiphi indlela’”!—Heberu 13:5.
3. Umongo kaDuteronomi 31:6 uyikhanyisa kanjani ingcaphuno kaPawulu yaleli vesi?
3 Lapho ebhalela amaKristu angamaHeberu la mazwi angenhla, umphostoli uPawulu wayecaphuna iziyalezo uMose azinika ama-Israyeli ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe: “Qinani, nime isibindi, ningesabi, ningashaywa luvalo ngabo, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho nguyena ohamba nawe; akayikukuyeka, akushiye.” (Duteronomi 31:6) Umongo ubonisa ukuthi uMose wayekhuthaza ama-Israyeli ukuba athembele kuJehova ngaphezu nje kokumethemba ukuthi wayeyonakekela izidingo zawo zenyama. Kanjani?
4. UNkulunkulu wabonisa kanjani kuma-Israyeli ukuthi wayengathenjwa?
4 Phakathi neminyaka engu-40 u-Israyeli ayizulazula ehlane, uNkulunkulu wazilungiselela ngokwethembeka izidingo zawo zokuphila. (Duteronomi 2:7; 29:5) Wawalungiselela nendlela yokuwahola. Enye indlela yokwenza lokhu kwakuyifu emini nomlilo ebusuku, okwaholela ama-Israyeli “ezweni . . . elichichima ubisi nezinyosi.” (Eksodusi 3:8; 40:36-38) Lapho kufika isikhathi sokungena ngokoqobo eZweni Lesithembiso, uJehova wakhetha uJoshuwa ukuba athathe isikhundla sikaMose. Kwakulindelekile ukuba abantu ababehlala kulelo lizwe bagweve. Kodwa uJehova wayehambe nabantu bakhe amashumi eminyaka, ngakho kwakungekho sidingo sokwesaba. Ama-Israyeli ayenesizathu esihle sokwazi uJehova njengoNkulunkulu ongathenjwa!
5. Isimo samaKristu namuhla sifana kanjani nesama-Israyeli ngaphambi kokuba angene eZweni Lesithembiso?
5 AmaKristu namuhla abelokhu ehamba ehlane eliyileli lizwe elibi lamanje, elibangise ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu. Amanye awo aseneminyaka engaphezu kuka-40 elandela le nkambo. Manje asesemngceleni wezwe elisha likaNkulunkulu. Nokho, izitha zisavimbile, zizimisele ukuvimbela noma ngubani ekungeneni kulokho okuyoba njengeZwe Lesithembiso, okuhle kakhulu kunelasendulo elalichichima ubisi nezinyosi. Ngakho, yeka indlela afaneleka ngayo kumaKristu namuhla amazwi kaMose, njengoba aphindwa uPawulu: “Angisoze ngakushiya noma ngakulahla nganoma iyiphi indlela”! Bonke abahlala beqinile futhi benesibindi, begcwele ukholo, bethembele kuJehova, bayovuzwa nakanjani.
Ithemba Elisekelwe Olwazini Nasebunganeni
6, 7. (a) Yini eyavivinya ukuthembela kuka-Abrahama kuJehova? (b) Iyiphi indlela okungenzeka u-Abrahama wazizwa ngayo njengoba elibangise endaweni ayeyokwenza kuyo umhlatshelo ngo-Isaka?
6 Ngesinye isikhathi ukhokho wama-Israyeli u-Abrahama wayalwa ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka ibe umhlatshelo wokushiswa. (Genesise 22:2) Yini eyenza lo baba onothando ukuba athembele ngokungenakuphazanyiswa kuJehova kangangokuba azimisele ngokushesha ukulalela? AmaHeberu 11:17-19 ayaphendula: “Ngokholo u-Abrahama, lapho evivinywa, kwafana nokuthi usenikele ngo-Isaka, futhi umuntu obamukele izithembiso ngokuthokoza wazama ukunikela ngendodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, nakuba kwakuthiwe kuye: ‘Lokho okuyobizwa ngokuthi “imbewu yakho” kuyoza ngo-Isaka.’ Kodwa wathi uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukumvusa ngisho nakwabafileyo; futhi ngempela wamamukela evela lapho ngendlela engokomfanekiso.”
7 Khumbula ukuthi kwathatha izinsuku ezintathu ukuba u-Abrahama no-Isaka bafike endaweni okwakuyokwenzelwa kuyo umhlatshelo. (Genesise 22:4) Kwakunesikhathi esiningi sokuba u-Abrahama acabange kabusha ngalokho ayecelwe ukuba akwenze. Ingabe singayicabanga imizwelo yakhe? Ukuzalwa kuka-Isaka kwakulethe injabulo enkulu ngokungalindelekile. Lobo bufakazi bokungenela kwaphezulu bajulisa indlela u-Abrahama nomkakhe owayekade eyinyumba, uSara, ababesondelene ngayo noNkulunkulu. Ngokuqinisekile ngemva kwalokho bahlala belindele ukubona ukuthi ikusasa limphatheleni u-Isaka nenzalo yakhe. Ingabe amaphupho abo ayeseshabalala ngokuzumayo, njengoba kwakungase kubonakale kanjalo ngenxa yalokho uNkulunkulu ayesekucela?
8. Ukwethembela kuka-Abrahama kuNkulunkulu kwakudlulela kanjani ngalé kokukholelwa ukuthi wayengamvusa u-Isaka?
8 Noma kunjalo, u-Abrahama wayenethemba elisekelwe ekwazaneni ngokuseduze abangane abasondelene ababa nako. ‘Njengomngane kaJehova,’ u-Abrahama “wabeka ukholo kuJehova, futhi kwabalelwa kuye njengokulunga.” (Jakobe 2:23) Ukuthembela kuka-Abrahama kuJehova kwakungaphezu nje kokukholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengamvusa u-Isaka. U-Abrahama wayekholiseke nangokuthi lokho uJehova ayemcela ukuba akwenze kwakufanelekile, ngisho noma yena ayengawazi wonke amaqiniso ayehilelekile. Wayengenasizathu sokungabaza ukuthi kwakuwukulunga ngoJehova ukwenza lesi sicelo. Khona-ke, ukuqiniseka kuka-Abrahama kwaba namandla lapho ingelosi kaJehova ingenela ukuze ivimbele ukuba u-Isaka abulawe ngempela enziwe umhlatshelo.—Genesise 22:9-14.
9, 10. (a) U-Abrahama wayekubonise nini ngaphambili ukumethemba uJehova? (b) Yisiphi isifundo esibalulekile esingasifunda ku-Abrahama?
9 U-Abrahama wayebonise lokhu kwethembela ekulungeni kukaJehova okufanayo eminyakeni engaba ngu-25 ngaphambili. Exwayiswe ngokuthi iSodoma neGomora kwakuyobhujiswa, wakhathazeka ngokufanelekile nganoma ibaphi abantu abalungileyo ababehlala lapho, kuhlanganise nomshana wakhe uLoti. U-Abrahama wancenga uNkulunkulu ngamazwi athi: “Makube-kude nawe ukwenza ngalendlela, ukubulala olungileyo kanye nomubi, olungileyo abe-njengomubi; lokhu makube-kude nawe; umahluleli womhlaba wonke ubengayikwenza ukulunga na?”—Genesise 18:25.
10 Inzalamizi u-Abrahama yayiqiniseka ukuthi uJehova akalokothi nanini enze noma yini engalungile. Kamuva umhubi wahlabelela: “UJehova ulungile ezindleleni zakhe zonke, unomusa emisebenzini yakhe yonke.” (IHubo 145:17) Senza kahle ngokuzibuza: ‘Ingabe ngamukela lokho uJehova avumela ukuba ngibhekane nakho ngaphandle kokungabaza ukulunga kwakhe? Ingabe ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi noma yini ayivumelayo, ekugcineni iyongizuzisa mina kanye nabanye?’ Uma singaphendula ngoyebo, siye safunda isifundo esibalulekile ku-Abrahama.
Ukubonisa Ukubethemba Abantu Abakhethwe UJehova
11, 12. (a) Yisiphi isici sethemba esiye sadingeka ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu? (b) Yini engase ibe yinkinga kithi ngezinye izikhathi?
11 Labo ababheka uJehova njengethemba labo babonisa ukuthi bayawethemba namadoda uJehova akhetha ukuwasebenzisa ekufezeni izinjongo zakhe. Kuma-Israyeli, lokhu kwakusho ukubonisa ukwethemba uMose futhi kamuva lowo owalandela esikhundleni sakhe, uJoshuwa. KumaKristu okuqala, kwakusho ukubonisa ukwethemba abaphostoli namanye amadoda amadala asebandleni laseJerusalema. Kithi namuhla, kusho ukwethemba “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo” esimiswe ukuba sisinike “ukudla [okungokomoya] ngesikhathi esifanele,” kanye nalabo abakha iNdikimba Ebusayo abaphakathi kwaso.—Mathewu 24:45.
12 Empeleni, ukubethemba labo abaholayo ebandleni lobuKristu kuzuzisa thina uqobo. Siyatshelwa: “Lalelani labo abaholayo phakathi kwenu futhi nizithobe, ngoba baqapha imiphefumulo yenu njengabayolandisa; ukuze lokhu bakwenze ngenjabulo hhayi ngokububula, ngoba lokhu bekuyonilimaza.”—Heberu 13:17.
Gwema Ukuthandabuza Abakhethwe NguJehova
13. Sinasiphi isizathu sokubethemba labo abamiswe ukuba bahole?
13 IBhayibheli lisisiza ukuba sibe abalinganiselayo ekuboniseni ukwethemba labo abaholayo phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova. Singase sizibuze: ‘Ingabe uMose wayeke awenze amaphutha? Ingabe abaphostoli babebonisa njalo isimo sengqondo esifana nesikaKristu, uJesu ayefuna babe naso?’ Izimpendulo zisobala. UJehova uye wakhetha ukusebenzisa amadoda athembekile nazinikele ukuze aqondise abantu bakhe, ngisho noma engabantu abangaphelele. Ngokufanayo, nakuba abadala namuhla bengaphelele, kusamelwe sibaqaphele ‘njengabamiswe umoya ongcwele ukuba babe ababonisi, ukuze beluse ibandla likaNkulunkulu.’ Bayakufanelekela ukuba sibasekele futhi sibahloniphe.—IzEnzo 20:28.
14. Yini ephawulekayo ngokukhetha kukaJehova uMose njengomholi kuno-Aroni noma uMiriyamu?
14 U-Aroni wayemdala ngeminyaka emithathu kunoMose, kodwa bobabili babebancane kunodadewabo, uMiriyamu. (Eksodusi 2:3, 4; 7:7) Futhi njengoba u-Aroni ayeyiqaphuqaphu ekukhulumeni kunoMose, wakhethwa ukuba akhonze njengomkhulumeli womfowabo. (Eksodusi 6:29–7:2) Nokho, ukuze ahole ama-Israyeli, uJehova akakhethanga omdala kunabo bonke, uMiriyamu, noma oyiqaphuqaphu kunabo bonke, u-Aroni. Ukukhetha uMose wakwenza eqaphela ngokugcwele wonke amaqiniso nezidingo zangaleso sikhathi. Lapho bentula lokhu kuqonda okucacile okwesikhashana, u-Aroni noMiriyamu bakhononda: “Imbala uJehova ukhulumile kuMose kuphela na? Akakhulumanga nakithi na?” UMiriyamu, cishe owayenguyena mgqugquzeli oyinhloko, wajeziswa ngenxa yalesi simo sengqondo sokungamhloniphi umuntu okhethwe uJehova, okwakufanele ngabe yena no-Aroni bamqaphela ‘njengomuntu owayemnene kunabo bonke abantu ababesebusweni bomhlaba.’—Numeri 12:1-3, 9-15.
15, 16. UKalebi wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayethembele kuJehova?
15 Lapho izinhloli eziyishumi nambili zithunyelwa ukuba ziyohlola iZwe Lesithembiso, eziyishumi zabuya nombiko odumazayo. Zafaka ama-Israyeli amanzi emadolweni ngokukhuluma “ngabantu abajaheleyo” baseKhanani. Lokhu kwabangela ama-Israyeli ukuba ‘akhonone ngoMose nangoAroni.’ Kodwa akuzona zonke izinhloli ezabonisa ukuthi azimethembi uMose noJehova. Siyafunda: “UKalebi wathulisa abantu phambi kukaMose, wathi: Masenyuke khona manje, silidle, ngokuba sinamandla okulinqoba.” (Numeri 13:2, 25-33; 14:2) Inhloli eyayikanye noKalebi, uJoshuwa, nayo yayimi iqinile njengaye. Bobabili babonisa ukuthi uJehova babemenze ithemba labo lapho bethi: “Uma uJehova esithanda, uyakusingenisa kulelozwe, asinike lona, izwe elivamé ubisi nezinyosi. Kodwa . . . ningesabi abantu balelozwe . . . uJehova unathi; ningabesabi.” (Numeri 14:6-9) Lokhu kuthembela kuJehova kwavuzwa. Kubantu abadala ababephila ngaleso sikhathi, nguKalebi noJoshuwa namaLevi athile kuphela ababa nelungelo lokungena eZweni Lesithembiso.
16 Eminyakeni ethile kamuva uKalebi wathi: “Mina ngamlandela uJehova uNkulunkulu wami ngokupheleleyo. . . . Manje bheka, uJehova ungisindisile njengokusho kwakhe leminyaka engamashumi amane nanhlanu, selokhu uJehova akhuluma lelizwi kuMose, uIsrayeli esahamba ehlane; bheka, manje sengineminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili nanhlanu namuhla. Ngisenamandla namuhla njengasosukwini uMose angithuma ngalo; njengamandla ami ngalesosikhathi anjalo amandla ami manje.” (Joshuwa 14:6-11) Phawula isimo sengqondo sikaKalebi esiqondile, ukwethembeka kwakhe namandla omzimba wakhe. Nokho, uJehova wayengazange akhethe uKalebi ukuba alandele uMose esikhundleni. Leli lungelo lanikwa uJoshuwa. Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayenezizathu zokukhetha kanjalo, futhi kwakuwukukhetha okungcono kakhulu.
17. Yini engase ibonakale sengathi yayenza uPetru angawufanelekeli umthwalo wemfanelo?
17 Umphostoli uPetru waphika iNkosi yakhe kathathu. Futhi wayezibambelé izinto mathupha ngokuxhamazela, egenca indlebe yesigqila sompristi ophakeme. (Mathewu 26:47-55, 69-75; Johane 18:10, 11) Abanye bangase bathi uPetru wayengumuntu onovalo, ongenakho ukulinganisela nongakufanelekeli ukujabulela amalungelo akhethekile. Nokho, ubani owayenikwe izihluthulelo zoMbuso, eba nelungelo lokuvulela amaqembu amathathu indlela eya obizweni lwasezulwini? KwakunguPetru.—IzEnzo 2:1-41; 8:14-17; 10:1-48.
18. Yiliphi iphutha eliphawulwe uJude esifuna ukuligwema?
18 Lezi zibonelo zibonisa ukuthi kumelwe siqaphele ukwahlulela ngokubonakala kwangaphandle. Uma sithembela kuJehova, ngeke sibangabaze abantu abakhethile. Nakuba inhlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni yakhiwe abantu abangaphelele, abangenakusho ukuthi abawenzi amaphutha, ubasebenzisa kakhulu. UJude, umfowabo kaJesu ngomzali oyedwa, waxwayisa amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ngabantu ‘abangabunaki ubukhosi futhi bakhulume ngokuchapha ngabakhazimulayo.’ (Jude 8-10) Masingalokothi sibe njengabo.
19. Kungani singenasizathu sokuthandabuza abantu abakhethwe nguJehova?
19 Ngokusobala emithwalweni yemfanelo ethile uJehova ukhetha abantu abanezimfanelo ezithile ezidingekayo ukuze baqondise abantu bakhe endleleni afuna bahambe ngayo ngaleso sikhathi. Kumelwe silwele ukuliqaphela leli qiniso, singabathandabuzi abantu abakhethwe uNkulunkulu, kodwa saneliswe ukukhonza ngokuthobeka lapho uJehova esibeke khona thina ngabanye. Kanjalo sibonisa ukuthi uJehova siye samenza ithemba lethu.—Efesu 4:11-16; Filipi 2:3.
Ukubonisa Ukwethemba Ukulunga KukaJehova
20, 21. Yini esingase siyifunde endleleni uNkulunkulu asebenzelana ngayo noMose?
20 Uma ngezinye izikhathi sithambekela ekuzethembeni ngokweqile thina ngokwethu singamethembi ngokwanele uJehova, masifunde kuMose. Lapho eneminyaka engu-40 ubudala, wazimisela ukuwakhulula ngokwakhe ama-Israyeli ekuthunjweni eGibithe. Ngokungangabazeki imizamo yakhe yayinezinhloso ezinhle, kodwa ayiphumelanga ekukhululweni kuka-Israyeli ngokushesha, noma ekwenzeni isimo sakhe uqobo sibe ngcono. Eqinisweni, waphoqeleka ukuba abaleke. Kwaze kwathi ngemva kweminyaka engu-40 yokuqeqeshwa kanzima ezweni elikude wafaneleka ukuba akhethwe ukuba enze lokho ayefune ukukwenza ngaphambili. Kulokhu wayengaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayemsekela ngoba manje izinto zazenziwa ngendlela kaJehova ngesikhathi esasivumelana nohlelo lwaKhe lwezikhathi.—Eksodusi 2:11–3:10.
21 Ngamunye wethu angase azibuze: ‘Ingabe ngezinye izikhathi ngimhambela phambili uJehova nabadala abamiswe ebandleni, ngizama ukusheshisa izinto noma ukwenza izinto ngendlela yami? Kunokuba ngizizwe nginganakiwe ngokuphathelene namalungelo athile, ingabe ngiyamukela ngenjabulo inkathi yokuqeqeshwa kwami?’ Ngokuyisisekelo, ingabe siye sasifunda isifundo esibalulekile kuMose?
22. Naphezu kokulahlekelwa yilungelo elikhulu, uMose wayezizwa kanjani ngoJehova?
22 Ngaphezu kwalokho, singafunda nesinye isifundo esibalulekile kuMose. UNumeri 20:7-13 usitshela ngephutha alenza, elamlahlekisela kakhulu. Walahlekelwa ilungelo lokuholela ama-Israyeli eZweni Lesithembiso. Ingabe wabe esesabela ngokuthi isinqumo sikaJehova kule ndaba sasingenabo ubulungisa? Ingabe wazihlukanisa, waduba ngoba uNkulunkulu emphathe kabi ngale ndlela? Ingabe uMose wayeka ukwethembela ekulungeni kukaJehova? Izimpendulo singazithola emazwini uMose ngokwakhe awasho ku-Israyeli ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe. NgoJehova, uMose wathi: “Uyidwala, umsebenzi wakhe uphelele, ngokuba zonke izindlela zakhe zingukulunga; unguNkulunkulu wokuthembeka ongenakonakala; ulungile, uqotho yena.” (Duteronomi 32:4) Ngokuqinisekile uMose wayesalokhu ethembele kuJehova kwaze kwaba sekugcineni. Kuthiwani ngathi? Ingabe njengabantu ngabanye siyazithatha izinyathelo zokuqinisa ukwethembela kwethu kuJehova nasekulungeni kwakhe? Singakwenza kanjani lokho? Ake sibone.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Ama-Israyeli ayenaziphi izizathu zokwethemba uJehova?
◻ Ngokuqondene nethemba, yini esingayifunda ku-Abrahama?
◻ Kungani kufanele sikugweme ukuthandabuza abantu abakhethwe uJehova?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Ukwethembela kuJehova kuhlanganisa nokuhlonipha labo abaholayo ebandleni